The coins from the Roman Trevi Fountain go to charity, they are used to buy food

Rome - Millions of tourists visiting Rome also arrive at the late Baroque Trevi Fountain. Many of them throw a coin into it, which according to various legends will grant them a wish, bring them love, or lead them back to the "eternal city." The city administration then fishes out kilograms of coins, and the funds go towards food for the needy, reports Reuters.

Coins are retrieved from the bottom of the fountain twice a week, and the activity is always an attraction for tourists, of whom around 21 million visit Rome annually. The technical service workers balance on the edges of the large basin, sweeping the coins with brooms, while their colleague vacuums them up using a hose. The coins are then handed over to the Catholic charity Caritas, which first dries them, then sorts, counts, and purchases food for food banks or provides funding for soup kitchens or other charitable projects.

In 2022, Caritas retrieved 1.4 million euros (35.5 million crowns) from the fountain, and in 2023, according to December estimates, it was over 1.5 million euros. A sign informs tourists about the use of the coins from the fountain.

"I wanted to make a wish that is close to my heart. But I also know that the coins won’t just lie there; they will help those in need. I had my wish, and I hope that this money will help fulfill the wishes of other people as well," said Brazilian Yula Cole after throwing a coin into the fountain to Reuters.

The Trevi Fountain, which was completed in 1762, is adorned with statues of Neptune and two tritons. It became famous for a scene in the film La Dolce Vita, where characters played by Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg bathe in it. Today's visitors are prohibited from bathing in the fountain, with hefty fines for doing so.

"We try to carry out the coin collection and cleaning as quickly as possible, so the downtime is as short as possible," says Francesco Prisco from the management company ACEA. Coins are removed twice a week, and cleaning occurs twice a month.

In addition to coins, employees often retrieve other less or more surprising items: jewelry, religious medals, or dental prosthetics. Once, it is said, an umbilical cord was even found.